It is a power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the rebel Rapid Support Forces (RSF), whose commanders were close allies in the post-Omar al-Bashir transitional government. Despite being the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, with widespread severe hunger and malnutrition, the Sudan war is receiving far less global attention than it needs. Not only has this worsened access to humanitarian support, but it has also fuelled the conflict’s persistence by failing to spark urgency.

The shift in global attention has contributed to prolonged suffering in a country with over 21 million people experiencing acute hunger and growing rates of malnutrition. “WFP has been forced to reduce rations to the absolute minimum for survival. By the end of March, we will have depleted our food stocks in Sudan. Without immediate additional funding, millions of people will be left without vital food assistance within weeks,” notes Ross Smith, World Food Programme (WFP)’s Director of Emergency Preparedness and Response.

The dwindling interest by the international community can be attributed to competing global priorities such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the US-Israel war against Iran which have diverted attention and resources from the Sudan civil war.

The precarious working conditions in cities like Darfur and El Fasher where civilian massacres have been reported, render reporting on the conflict dangerous, with scores of journalists allegedly imprisoned, others injured or killed in the line of duty .

Disproportionate media coverage is especially concerning, as it distorts public perception, facilitates the spread of false information and undermines the need to hold warring parties accountable, amid reports of potential war crimes committed by the RSF in western Sudan.

Sudan’s neighbours have had to contend with the crisis. For instance in February, numerous armed incidents were reported near the Sudan-Chad border, including a drone attack that left more than 20 people injured near Adré. 

According to a report by United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), another drone killed two parents and injured their infant between Abgamra, North Darfur and Tiné town within Chad’s Wadi Fira region. The country has also experienced an increased refugee influx, recording approximately 913, 537 new arrivals between April 2023 and February 2026. This has exacerbated its dire humanitarian situation amidst aid cuts.

The limited international attention to this crisis is a litmus test for African institutions like Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD) and the African Union (AU). It weighs their ability to rise to the occasion and resolve conflicts peacefully, considering the regressive economic and social impact of insecurity on the continent’s efforts to further integrate and achieve collective prosperity.

The crisis equally highlights the need to bolster press freedom in times of conflict, particularly to counter the disproportionate global attention on Sudan’s conflict.

“This disparity reflects more than geographic proximity—it reveals an implicit hierarchy of crises, where some conflicts are seen as more urgent and deserving of intervention than others. If Rwanda taught us anything, it is that history tends to repeat itself in new forms,” analysts caution.

The opinions and thoughts expressed in this article reflect only the author's views.

Speaking to a Turkish media delegation, Abdel Mutaal said some of the foreign fighters have already been sentenced to death, while others are facing ongoing trials. She added that Sudanese authorities have documented cases in which weapons were allowed to pass through neighbouring countries to reach rebel forces.

The prosecutor also claimed her office had obtained physical evidence linking the United Arab Emirates to support for the RSF, an allegation the UAE has previously denied.

Sudan’s authorities say the use of foreign fighters has worsened the conflict and contributed to widespread abuses against civilians. Abdel Mutaal accused the RSF of committing systematic sexual violence, including against minors, and of recruiting children into the fighting.

She said 135 children who had been recruited into the conflict were recently handed back to their families with the help of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

The prosecutor detailed alleged atrocities in several regions, including attacks against the Masalit community in El Geneina and assaults in Kadugli and Dilling that killed more than 100 people , mostly women and children. She also cited the shelling of a kindergarten during a graduation ceremony as part of the investigation.

Since the war began, Sudan’s National Committee for Investigating Crimes has recorded more than 188,000 criminal cases, some of which have been referred to special courts. Earlier this month, Sudan’s Anti-Terrorism Court in Port Sudan began trials against 201 defendants, including senior RSF figures and political leaders, on charges ranging from inciting war to undermining the constitutional system.

Here is a recap of a few:

Sudan

From April 2023, Sudan has been stuck in turmoil, which has claimed the lives of hundreds of people and left women and children vulnerable. The conflict erupted over power struggles between rival military factions, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF. The conflict led to parts of the country facing famine. Millions were displaced, health systems collapsed, and reports of mass sexual violence mounted, yet funding and diplomatic engagement remained limited as donor fatigue developed. “Each passing day brings staggering levels of violence and destruction. Civilians are enduring immense, unimaginable suffering, with no end in sight,” Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs of the UN Khaled Khiari told ambassadors.

DR Congo

In eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, fighting between armed groups intensified, particularly in North Kivu. Civilians faced killings, forced recruitment, and displacement, but the conflict received scant coverage outside Africa despite being a deadly one. The fighting resumed at the beginning of 2025 when the M23 rebel group made significant advances across the East. 

Haiti

Haiti continued to slide deeper into crisis as armed gangs expanded control over large parts of Port-au-Prince. Kidnappings surged, state authority eroded further, and humanitarian access shrank, yet international response stalled amid political paralysis. “Caught in the middle of this unending horror story are the Haitian people, who are at the mercy of horrific violence by gangs and exposed to human rights violations from the security forces and abuses by the so-called ‘self-defence’ groups,” Volker Türk, High Commissioner for Human Rights, is quoted .

Myanmar

In Myanmar, clashes between the military junta and ethnic armed groups were reported, with airstrikes hitting civilian areas. The conflict’s impact on women, children and minorities remained severe, even as global focus drifted elsewhere. Four years after the military seized power in 2021, Myanmar’s junta controls just 21% of the country, while rebel groups and ethnic armed forces hold about 42%, according to a 2024 BBC investigation.

Smaller but persistent conflicts in Ethiopia’s border regions, Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado, and Burkina Faso also worsened. While some of these were short-lived, they were mostly driven by a mix of insurgency and political instability.

The conflict has killed tens of thousands and displaced more than 12 million people, including 8.6 million within Sudan. Many more are seeking safety in neighbouring countries like Chad, Egypt , South Sudan, the Central African Republic and Ethiopia.

However, millions of Sudanese professionals are fighting against this conflict in their own way, miles away from their home country. 

One of them is Dr Suliman Ahmed, who has worked as a paediatrician in Saudi Arabia, a medical interpreter in the U.S., where he is based, a health insurance broker and now the founder and CEO of Dr Suliman Advisory Group.

Speaking to Ismail Akwei on Global South Conversations, Dr Ahmed shared his personal journey from Sudan to the United States and reflected on the conflict that has reshaped the lives of millions in his home country.

He recalled his childhood years in Sudan despite being born in Yemen to Sudanese parents who were both physicians. He returned to Khartoum for medical school, and although he grew up mostly in Saudi Arabia, he said Sudan shaped his earliest memories.

“I spent the first two years or the first few years of my life in Sudan communicating with my aunties, uncles, a lot of friends. And I even went to the first grade school and the preschool. So I spent a good time in there and I have a lot of memories. I carry a lot of love to my grandma who passed in 1998 or 1999. And I had actually a very colourful, prosperous memory. Sudan was doing good. Sudan really was doing good,” he said.

For Sudan to feel like home again, Dr Ahmed said three things must happen: “Maintain national unity and prevent further fragmentation, exclude perpetrators of civilian atrocities from future political processes, and hold those responsible for destruction accountable and mobilise funds for reconstruction.”

He believed Sudan has the intellectual capacity to rebuild, but not the resources. “Sudanese people are capable of making the country stand again,” he said. “All we need is funding to actualise our ideas.” 

He shared the hope of one day retiring in Sudan, once peace returns. “Living among your people… is a blessing. I see myself retiring in Sudan,” he said.

He acknowledged the works of community groups such as the Sudanese American Physicians Association (SAPA), which has been providing medical support to hospitals inside Sudan. “They had a tangible impact… raising funds for medical centres, helping trauma patients move to Egypt, Germany, the US, and the UK,” he said. 

“All of them feel the tragedy… everyone is trying to donate, to help, to alleviate the misery... We are generous by default. If we utilise this momentum and turn it into practical plans, we can make a great impact,” he added.

To those still living through the war , he offered encouragement: “Stay your ground, don’t lose hope… we will go through this all together.”

The RSF announced control of El Fasher on Sunday after intense battles with the Sudanese army. RSF leader and Sudan’s Founding Council Chair Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo described the capture as a “strategic shift in the war ” and “a change in favour of Sudan’s unity.”

Dagalo also said a committee would be formed to investigate reported violations during the fighting, following media reports of mass killings. The UN has said more than 1,350 civilians were killed in El Fasher.

Meanwhile, Sudan’s army chief and de facto ruler, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, insisted his forces remained capable of reversing the situation, vowing to “protect Sudan, its sovereignty, and the stability of its people regardless of the challenges.”

Sudan has been engulfed in conflict since fighting erupted between the army and the RSF in April 2023. More than 20,000 people have been killed and 33,000 injured, while around 12 million have been displaced. Over 25.6 million Sudanese are now facing severe food insecurity, according to UN figures.